Great again! Trump delivers on MAJOR campaign promise with new NAFTA deal

The Trump administration announced on Sunday that it has negotiated a new North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada, delivering on a major campaign pledge just ahead of the midterms.

The new deal is called the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and it is a major win for POTUS Donald Trump who campaigned on fixing “horrible trade deals” that he (and millions of Americans) rightfully see as one-sided and detrimental to the U.S.

Now all that’s left is getting an often recalcitrant Congress to fall in line; lawmakers have to approve the new agreement before it becomes enshrined in law as a treaty.

The Trump administration already formally notified Congress at the end of August of its plans to sign a new pact and faced a deadline of the end of September to provide a draft of the agreement.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in late August that officials are planning to sign with their Canadian and Mexican counterparts by the end of November — a date that would also satisfy Mexico, which is eager to have current President Enrique Peña Nieto sign the deal before his successor takes over Dec. 1.

“It’s a great win for the president and a validation for his strategy in the area of international trade,” said a senior administration official on a phone call with reporters, Politico noted.

According to people briefed on the deal, there are changes regarding dairy imports, how to resolve trade disputes between the signatories, limits on online shopping done tax-free, and limits on any U.S. threats regarding automobile tariffs.

“It’s a good day for Canada,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said as he left his office late Sunday night. He added that he would save additional comments for an official announcement later today.

Politico noted further:

A formal vote in Congress won’t be held until 2019, and it is still an open question whether lawmakers — including members of the president’s own party who have often clashed with him on trade — will fall in line to support the deal.

Republicans are expected to pay close attention to the final details regarding dispute settlement and intellectual property issues, while Democrats will likely be looking for stricter labor and environmental standards.

“Late last night, our deadline, we reached a wonderful new Trade Deal with Canada, to be added into the deal already reached with Mexico,” Trump tweeted Sunday. “The new name will be The United States Mexico Canada Agreement, or USMCA. It is a great deal for all three countries, solves the many deficiencies and mistakes in NAFTA, greatly opens markets to our Farmers and Manufacturers, reduce Trade Barriers to the U.S. and will bring all three Great Nations closer together in competition with the rest of the world. The USMCA is a historic transaction!”

In late August, the U.S. and Mexico negotiated a new pact to replace NAFTA, snubbing Canada in the process. President Trump has also repeatedly suggested that he might leave Canada out of the new agreement — which would be called the “United States-Mexico Trade Agreement.”

Trump blames NAFTA for the loss of American manufacturing jobs and wants major changes to the pact, which underpins $1.2 trillion in annual trade. Markets fear its demise would cause major economic disruption.

Negotiators from both sides spent two days talking by phone as they tried to settle a range of difficult issues such as access to Canada’s dairy market and U.S. tariffs.

The only way this doesn’t get passed is if Democrats win back the House in November — which, despite their claims is not a certainty at all.

But being able to tout this deal on the campaign trail for the next six weeks will help the president — and Republican candidates who vow to support it.

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4 Comments on Great again! Trump delivers on MAJOR campaign promise with new NAFTA deal

President Trump once again delivers for the American people. Canada and Mexico are important trading partners and this fair trade deal will help America reestablish its industrial base in a manner fair to all.

I’m Canadian and turdo the partime drama teacher/snowboard instructor is our biggest embarrassment to date… I don’t want our economy to take a hit and fair is fair… but I hope President Trump kicked that nwo puppet liberal’s asshard.

But what I’ve read on what the major differencers are, I don’t understand just what the American manufacturing economy really won. More parts need to be made in the USA, but forcing workers to make at least $16 an hour is still only half of what American workers would make. CNBC may not be the best source, but it is the only one putting information in detail out there.